Tooth brush holder



June 2%, 1938.

H. NOFZ TOOTH BRUSH HOLDER Filed Dec. 26, 1935 INVENTOR. HENRY Iva/=2 72 2?. z ATTORNEY.

June 21, was

5 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE TOOTH BRUSH HOLDER,

Hem-y Nofz, Berkeley, Calif. Application December 26, 1935, Serial No.56,127 6 Claims. (01. cos-15.1

The invention relates to a tooth brush holder which is arranged .tosupport a plurality of brushes with their head portions enclosed.

An object of the invention is'to provide for the selective and readyremoval of a tooth brush from the holder.

;'Another object is to effectively protect the heads of the mountedbrushes from dust and other contamination.

A further object is to provide a particularlysimple and compact holderof the character described. I

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in thefollowing description of a typical embodiment thereof, and in theaccompanying drawing, in whic a p Figure 1 is a front elevationof theholder mounted on a wall, and with atooth brush supportedly engagedtherein.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the holder, a transparent cover memberthereof being partly broken away. 1 I

Figure 3 is an underneath plan view of the holder, a shutter elementthereof being disposed in an inoperative position. Figure 4 is avertical section of the holder mounted in inverted position withrelation to its disposal in Figure 1, the section being taken generallyat the broken line 4-4 in Figure-3.

In its present embodiment, the holder of my invention essentiallycomprises a base element 6 arranged to provide a support for a pluralityof tooth brushes and carrying a transparent cover element 1 whichextends transversely from one side thereof to cooperate with the basefor pro viding an enclosure for the heads of brushes mounted on thebase. As particularly shown, the element 6 is shaped of a single pieceof sheet material to provide a planar support plate 8 having a major andforward portion of circular outline and provided with a flange 9 at itsperiphery for receiving the rim of the cover member 1.

The cover element 1 is shown as having a conically tapered side wall 10extending from a closed circular end ll, said cover being 'widest at itsopen end where it engages the plate 8. The lip portion of the cover I isarranged for tight and releasable engagement within the. flange 9, andthe inner face of said flange'is conically tapered in generallycomplementary relation to the outer face of the cover wall l0 wherebythe free edge portion of the flange may circumferentially .grip theouter cover face for holding the cover to the base. It will be notedthat the cover element. 1 is shaped as a usual drinking glass ortumbler, and preferably comprises such an article for minimizing thecost of the present holder.

, At the portion thereof rearwardly of the ends of the flange 9, thebase plate 8 extends to a straight edge from which a flange l2 extendstransversely of the plate and oppositely of the {6 flange 9. Doublekey-hole slots l3 are provided in the flange l2, said slots extending inperpendicular relation to the line of juncture of the flange with theplate 8, and being arranged to simultaneously engage the shanks oilheaded 15 I screws M which are engaged in any upright supporting wallfor mounting the assembly on the wall.- I

Interiorly thereof, the plate 8 is provided with an opening l5 forreceiving the head of a toothbrush i6 therethrough. Notches H areprovided in the plate 8 to extend from the edge of .the opening l5, saidnotches being somewhat larger 09 than the shank of the tooth brushhandle adjacent the toothbrush head; A generally U- shaped member ID issuitably flxed, as by gluing, against the face of the plate 8 at thesame side thereof as the fiangell, said memberoverlying g the notches l1and extending slightly into the opening I5 .opposite and between thenotches.

The member I8 is preferably formed of resilient sheet rubber or thelike, and is provided with T-shaped slots at the notches l9, said slotshaving or the stem portions thereof extending from the edge of theinterior opening of the member 18 toward a common point centrally of theplate 8.

" The head, or cross, portions of the slots l9 are arranged to receiveand grip the shanks of toothgs brushes for support thereat, with thebristles of the brushes mounted in the different slots being directedinwardly from the plate edge in such manner that the heads of themounted brushes do not contact one another. Since the shanks 0g of mosttoothbrushes are generally elliptical in cross-section, the presentdisposal of the slots I9 is operative to position the mounted brushes inthe desired position.

It will now be noted that a brush l6 which is 95 mounted in a slot 19,as is shown in Figure 1, may be dismounted by moving it laterallythrough the stem portion of the slot which receives it to the centralplate opening l5, and then moving the brush longitudinally through 03and from said opening, the brush being held at its handle portionand thecover element remaining in its mounted position on the base element inunitary association therewith. The arragement is such that any brush maybe removed or replaced with respect to a given slot without interferencewith other brushes mounted in the holder.

For hygienic purposes, it is most desirable that the holder space whichreceives the brush heads be generally closed for protecting said brushheads from dust and other contamination. Accordingly, means are providedfor closing the plate opening ll except while a brush is being mountedor dismounted on the holder. As particularly shown, a shutter plate IIis mounted on the plate 8 for movement in its plane to and from anoperative position with respect to the opening ll. Said shutter II ismounted at the opposite side of the plate 0 from the cover ele-, mentand the flexible member ll, and is of such form that it extends betweenthe handles of the brushes in the holder when it is operatively dis- Asillustrated, the shutter 2! is eccentrically .pivoted to the base plate0 at one side thereof by means of a pivot pin 22 for its swinging to andfrom its operative position. An extension 23 of the shutter 2| isprovided with a notch 24 for receiving the shank of a headed pin 25mounted in the plate when the shutter II closes the opening ll, and anintegral handle extension 28 is provided on the shutter for facilitatingits manipulation. When the shutter it engages the pin 28, it closes theholder space and is spaced from the member ll opposite the opening I!and the notches il in the plate 8, whereby the holder space is notcompletely sealed and a limited circulation of outside air is permittedfor said space. The permitted circulation has been found suflicient todry the head of a brush which is damp when mounted in the holder, yetprevents a free circulation of dust-laden air through the space or theentrance of all but the smallest of flying insects.

It will now be noted that the described holder assembly is arranged tobe mounted on the screws It with the closed cover element 1 above theplate 8, as in Figure 1, whereby the handles of the mounted brushes willdepend from said plate and the member is thereabove, thebrush headsbeing fully enclosed in a dry condition. If, on the other hand, theassembly is mounted on the support screws it in the inverted positionshown in Figure 4, the element 1 may contain a sterilizing liquid fortemporarily or constantly receiving the brush heads. Or, if desired, theinverted unit may contain a tooth-treating or cleaning material forapplication by a brush dipped therein. In this manner, a single unithaving the described structure may be utilized in several useful ways.

As shown, that portion of the shutter 2i which is arranged to lieopposite the opening II when the shutter is operatively disposed isoutwardly offset to provide a cup-like receptacle 2.. Said receptacle isarranged to receive a material I! which includes one or more volatileconstituents having antiseptic and/or insect-repellent properties,whereby, when the holder space is closed, said space may receive andretain the vapors of said materials and so sterilize the brush headstherein. Many suitable volatile substances are available for the presentpurposes, pine oil and peppermint oil and Wintergreen 011 being noted asexamples of substances which are usable to accomplish the desiredresults, including. if

desired, a pleasantscenting of the brushes. The material 1! may be fullyvolatile, or may comprise a porous body carrying a volatile material; inthe latter case, the material 29 may be in the form of a relativelysolid wafer for placement in the receptacle 2.. Since the provision ofthe material 28 would generally be of use only when the holder isdisposed as in Figure 1, the said material may be gravitationally heldin the cup 2!. If, however, the assembly is to be invetted, as in Figure4, the material 2! would .elther be fixed in the cup "or removed beforethe assembly is inverted.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing. the advantages of the construction and method of use will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art to which the inventionappertains. While I have described the features and the use of thedevice which I now consider to be a preferred embodiment of myinvention, I desire to have it understood that the showing is primarilyillustrative, and that such changes may be made as fall within the scopeof the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a holder for tooth brushes, a casing defining a space forcontaining the head portions of a plurality of tooth brushes and havingan opening in a flat side thereof for the movement of the heads of thebrushes longitudinally therethrough into and from the casing space,means at the edge of said opening for laterally receiving andresiliently and sealedly gripping the handles of the inserted brusheshaving their heads disposed in said space, and a shutter plate mountedon the aforesaid casing side at its outer face and for movement in aplane parallel to that of the side to sealedly close or to open saidopening while one or more brushes are mounted in the holder.

2. In a holder for tooth brushes, a casing defining a space forcontaining the head portions of tooth brushes and having an opening in aflat side thereof for the movement of the heads of the brusheslongitudinally therethrough into and from the casing space, means at theedge of said opening for laterally receiving and resiliently andindependently gripping the handles of the inserted brushes having theirheads disposed in said space, and a shutter plate mounted on theaforesaid casing side at its outer face and arranged for movement in aplane parallel to that of the side to close or open said opening whileone or more brushes are mounted in the holder and providing a depressionfor carrying a charge of a volatile antiseptic material, said depressionregistering with the casing opening when the shutter is in operativeposition and being accessible from without the casing when the shutteris inoperatively disposed.

3. In a holder for tooth brushes, a casing defining a cylindric spacefor containing the head portions of a plurality of tooth brushes andhaving an interior opening in an end thereof for the movement of thebrushes longitudinally therethrough into and from the casing space,means at different edge points of said opening for laterally receivingand resiliently and sealedly embracing the handles of the insertedbrushes having their heads disposed in said space, and a shutter platepivoted to the aforesaid casing end at its outer face and eccentricallyof the casing axis and for movement in a plane parallel to that of theend to close or open said opening while one or more brushes are mountedin the holder with their handles engaged by the aforesaidhandle-embracing means.

4. In a holder -for a tooth brush, a casing defining a space forcontaining the head portion of a tooth brush and having an opening in alower side thereof for the movement of the head of the brushlongitudinally therethrough into and from the casing space, means at theedge of said opening for laterally receiving and sealedly gripping thehandle of the inserted brush, and a closure plate operative at the outerface of said casing side to sealedly close or to open said opening whilethe brush is mounted in the holder and provided with a depression forcarrying a, charge of a volatile antiseptic material, said depressionregistering with said casing opening when the shutter is in operativeposition and being accessible from without the casing when the shutteris inoperatively disposed.

5. In a holder for a tooth brush, a supporting plate of relativelyunyielding material and pro-' videdwith an interior opening having oneportion thereof arranged to permit the free movement of a tooth brushhead longitudinally therethrough and a connected second portion arrangedto laterally receive the handle portion of an inserted tooth brush whenthe tooth brush head is above the plate and the tooth brush handleextends through the plate, a member of resiliently yielding sheetmaterial fixed to the plate at its upper side and spanning said secondportion of the opening and provided with a Ir-shaped slit extending froman interior point of the second portion .to the first portion of theopening and arranged to receive the handle of the brush by its lateralmovement into the slit from the first portion of the opening to embracethe handle and support the brush by simultaneously engaging the handleby and between sheet member portions which define the sides of both slitparts.

6. In a holder for a tooth brush, a supporting plate of relativelyunyielding material provided with a transverse opening having an openside and arranged to laterally and freely receive the handle of a toothbrush from its said open side when the tooth brush head is at one sideof the plate and the handle extends transversely through the plane ofthe plate, and a member of resiliently yielding sheet material fixed tothe plate and spanning the opening and provided with a T-shaped slittherethrough having one 7 part thereof extending from an interior pointof the opening to the edge of the member at the open side of the openingfor the lateral movement of the handle into and through said slit partto embrace the handle and support the tooth brush by simultaneouslyengaging the handle by and between sheet member portions which definethe sides of both slit parts.

HENRY NOFZ.

